A global outbreak of Mpox disease, formerly known as Monkey pox, has been ongoing since 2022. South Africa is amongst the countries currently experiencing the outbreak. Mpox is a viral infection which spreads between people and occasionally from the environment to people via objects and surfaces that have been touched by a person with Mpox. Mpox can be spread through skin-to-skin contact, face-to-face contact, mouth-to-skin contact and touching infected bedding, towels, clothing and objects. According to the Department of Health (DOH), symptoms of Mpox include fever, headache, low energy, muscle and back aches, rash with blisters on the face, hands, feet, body, eyes, mouth and genitals. If you suspect you have these symptoms, isolate yourself, get medical advice and avoid touching others. At the moment, there is no registered treatment for Mpox in South Africa. However, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends the use of Tecovirimat (an antiviral medication with activity against orthopoxviruses such as smallpox and Mpox) for treatment of severe cases, such as in individuals with a CD4 count of less than 350. However, the DOH has obtained Tecovirimat on compassionate use basis for patients with severe disease. This month’s feature article (as from June 2024, the educational article has been renamed feature article) is based on the Census 2022: Provincial Profile: Gauteng (Report No. 03-01-76), published by Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) on 27 June 2024. Look out for our monthly crossword puzzle and solutions for June 2024 as well. Articles published in this issue are based on the results of industry surveys conducted for March and April 2024.

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